EASTON, Maine — Coming off a 6-11 season, the Bears are motivated to turn things around under second-year head coach Danny Warren.
Easton did not have any seniors on last year’s roster, so they return a deep and veteran group, which hopes to make its mark in Class D North.
“They understand that competition was tough last year and are grateful for the opportunity to try again,” Warren said. “They are an extremely motivated group of young men and believe they are good enough to compete.”
Senior forwards Ben Wipperman and Evan Carver are two of the team’s projected starters. Wipperman, at 6-feet-3-inches, is a versatile post player who can shoot from up to 15-feet away from the basket. Carver, who also is 6-3, is a strong all-around player who can get to the basket and hit shots from the perimeter.
“We’ll continue to try to find and exploit any mismatches,” Warren said. “Carver and Wipperman both possess the ability to work with their backs to the basket, so finding shooters and slashers when the ball leaves their hands will be the key.”
Junior guard Owen Sweeney is quick and can score in transition and from the perimeter, while sophomore guard Chase Flewelling is a smooth shooter and appears ready to be a solid contributor.
Rounding out the starting five is junior Gus Bonner, a defensive specialist who is also a good finisher at the rim.
Slashing guard Cade Ennis is a senior who owns a variety of skills that should translate into key minutes for Easton. Classmate Rylee Chasse will also look to carve out a role along with sophomores Zach Pelletier and Blake King and junior Dawson Lamoreau.
Junior Mason Adams and sophomores Brayden Boulier and Steven Summerson round out the roster.
Lucas Hafford will be Warren’s assistant coach.
The head coach said how the Bears perform on the defensive end of the floor will go a long way in determining their success this season.
“We have a bunch of ways to score, so we’ll be focusing on defense,” Warren said. “Fundamental principles still apply like getting hands up, proper rotations and correct positioning. If we play well enough on the defensive side, we may be able to withstand an off night offensively.”
With a year under his belt, Warren is looking forward to seeing how the upcoming season unfolds.
“The boys are not taking any teams for granted,” he said. “My hope is that they approach each game as if it’s their last and play to the best of their ability. Their eyes are wide open and they are ready to play.”
